Artist&#39;s easel



Dec. 17, 1968 E. BIERV 3,416,764

ARTIST S EASEL Filed March 8, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Kama/745m,

ATTORNEY5.

Dec. 17, 1968 5, ug; 3,416,764

ARTIST 5 EASEL Filed March 5, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1968 E. IBIER 3,416,764

ARTIST S EASEL Filed March 8, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

L d/7741x705 flier ATTORNEYS.

E. BIER 3,416,764

Dec. 17, 1968 ARTISTS EASEL v V 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 8, 1968 i INVENTOR United States Patent 3,416,764 ARTISTS EASEL Edmund Bier, 210 Riverside Drive, New York, N.Y. 10025 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 648,344, June 23, 1967. This application Mar. 8, 1968, Ser. No. 711,572

9 Claims. (Cl. 248-452) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE An artists easel including a forwardly pivotable easel board to which a painting canvas is secured, thereby allowing the artist to occasionally view the painting from a distance during the progress of the work, without the necessity of the artist taking steps backwards so to place a distance between himself and the painting.

This invention relates generally to easels of the type used to support paintings. More specifically it relates to easels used by artists for supporting paintings during the progress of producing the same, thereby differing from display easels. This application is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application, Ser. No. 648,344, filed June 23, 1967.

It is generally well known to those skilled in the art, than an artist likes to periodically check on the progress of his work by stepping back from the canvas and view the general effect of the entire painting, so to see if the composition corresponds to his wishes. This maneuver is accomplished many times and with frequency in painting even a most modest canvas. While this periodic exercise may relax an artist, it may be undesirable to older or otherwise less physically capable artist who may be seated at their work, as well as those who check it with great frequency.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved artists easel having self contained viewing means whereby a painting may be selectively placed at a distance from the artist, for his general observation thereof, without the necessity of the artist to take steps away therefrom.

Another object is to provide an improved artists easel which is particularly adaptable for an artist who works while seated, thereby eliminating the necessity of arising from his seat so as to step back and view the work from a distance.

Yet another object is to provide an improved artists easel which includes a forwardly pivotable easel board upon which the canvas is secured, and whereby the canvas remains in the same plane in both positions.

Yet a further object is to provide an improved artists easel which is manually adjustable between positions either by hand or by foot (thereby not requiring the artist to put down an easel and brush held in his two hands).

Yet a further object is to provide an improved artists easel wherein the distance between positions can be selectively controlled.

Other objects are to provide an improved artists easel which is simple in design, portable, collapsible, light in weight, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation. I

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one form of the present invention, artists tools being shown supported therein.

FIG. 1a is a side view of a bracket detail thereof.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a modified form thereof.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

3,416,764 Patented Dec. 17, 1968 FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another modified form of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view thereof showing in phantom an alternate position thereof, and showing an artist at work.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of yet another modified form thereof, showing an artist at work.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 6, parts being shown broken away.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another modified form of the invention wherein there is a slidable easel board assembly and a FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a final modified form of the invention wherein an easel board is slidable by gravity means.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and more specifically to FIG. 1, the reference numeral 10 represents an improved artists painting easel according to the present invention, wherein there is a supporting, horizontal platform 11 which may comprise a top of a table, cabinet or the like so as to be located at an elevation which is particularly suitable for supporting a main frame 12 adjustably mounted thereupon.

The main frame 12 comprises a rectangular frame 13 made preferably from light weight tubular metal, the frame having opposite upper and lower bars 14 and 15 respectively, and opposite vertical side bars 16 between corners 17; each of said bars 16 having a right angle bend 18 near a lower portion thereof, the bend being in a plane perpendicular to the configuration of the frame so that when viewed from a side, the frame is of L-shaped configuration, the bars 16 of which form vertical legs 19 and horizontal feet 20. The lower bar 15 is held rotatably free within a pair of bearing brackets 21 mounted upon the upper side of the platform 11, then allowing the main frame to pivot thereabout; it being noted that the frame is mounted in such position upon the platform that the heels 22 of the feet may rest upon the platform when the main frame is standing upright. A pair of chains 23 secured at their one and to the main frame and at their opposite ends to the platform serve to limit the pivoted travel distance of the main frame.

An easel board 24 is mounted in pivotally free, depending position from the upper bar 14 of the main frame by means of one or more bearing bracket 25 secured to a rear side of the board, the bracket receiving the bar 14.

The easel board 24 is provided with means that are conventional upon an artists easel for raising or lowering the position of a painting canvas 25 which is carried thereupon. Thus as shown, the board carries a pair of clamps 27 that are each selectively secured along a track or slot 28 extending vertically along the board. The easel board bears beams on the lower end, one or more hinges 48 which permit the board to swing forwardly but stops the board in front of the cleat 29 To release the board the frame has to be lifted.

It is to be further noted that a cleat 29 is fastened upon the uper side of platform 11, the cleat serving as a backrest for the lower end of the rear side 30 of the easel board 24 when the main frame is in an upstanding position upon the platform, thus allowing an artist to bear with his brush against the canvas 26 without the same being pushed rearward. The cleat 29 is adjustable so that the easel board can stay in a declined position. Accordingly the length of the easel boand is such that the lower end edge 31 almost engages the platform upper side when the main frame is so in an upstanding position.

One or a pair of forward extending handles 32 secured to the frame allow grasp for a hand to tilt the frame.

In operative use, an artist secures his painting canvas upon the front side of the easel board and places his palette, brushes, oil and other equipment upon the front part of the platform. With the main frame in an upstanding position, he now paints a picture on the canvas. From time to time during progress of the work, the artist may wish to view the canvas from a distance so as to check the general effect being developed in the picture. Heretofore, it has accordingly been necessary for the artist to step backwards several feet from a stationary easel. In the present invention the artist needs merely to swing the main frame forwardly thus causing the canvas to be carried away from the artist so to provide the necessary viewing distance. The canvas remains in a vertical position even though the main frame has pivoted, due to the freely depending easel board. The chains 23 limit the forward travel of the main frame and accordingly the distance away of the painting. The chains may be made adjustable to suit a desired distance. After concluding his observation, the artist merely grasps the handle 32 of the main frame again with his hand, as shown, and pulls it toward him, thus returning the easel board in front of the cleat 29 and bringing the canvas within his reach for continuing his work thereon.

As shown in FIG. 1a there are bearing brackets 21 which include upper and lower element 33 and 34 respectively pivotable at one end about a hinge 35 and attachable together at their ends by a screw, 36 thus allowing removal of the entire main frame therefrom when so desired.

In FIG. 2 a modified form of easel 40 is shown, which includes a forwardly extending lever 41 having hand grasp 42 so to form a convenient handle for manually maneuvering the main frame away from and toward the artist.

Rubber bumpers 43 may be placed under the heels 22 so to cushion the same from shock and from making noise when striking the table top upon return.

In this form of the invention, the platform comprises a panel 44 which can be readily detachably secured by means of clamps 45 to any table 46 or other supporting base.

Parts which are like the parts illustrated in FIG. 1 are designated with like reference numerals throughout the various forms of the invention illustrated in the various figures.

A pair of braces 47 secured to the frame engage the top of the table 46 when the frame is tilted, thus limiting the tilt thereof. A pair of rotatable stoppers 48 on the easel board bottom allow travel thereof to the stop 29.

In FIGS. 3 and 4 another modified form of easel 50 is shown, wherein there is shown a U-shaped frame 52 instead of a rectangular frame 13 so to save on material.

In FIG. 6 yet another modified form of the invention is shown to comprise an easel wherein the main frame is movable by means of a foot operated mechanism 61, thus not requiring an artist to put down a palette and brush held in his hands. The mechanism 61 also eliminates the need for an artist to lean forward such as when operating hand controlled main frames, and requires less physical effort to operate.

The mechanism 61 includes a foot pedal 62 at one end of a lever 63 centrally pivotable about a pin 64. The opposite end of the lever is connected pivotally free at its opposite end by means of a pin 67 to a foot of the frame. In order to move the painting away from the artist, the artist simply depresses the foot pedal causing the upwardly moving link to pivot the frame away. To return the frame, he simply removes his foot from the pedal and a return tension spring 68, connected between the link and a leg 69 of the table pulls the link down again.

In FIG. 8 still another modified form of the present invention is shown, wherein there is an easel board unit 80 that is movable between forward and rear positions along a table 81, the easel board comprising a horizontal base 82 mounted upon wheels 83, an upstanding vertical rear panel 84 and inclined front panel 85 therebetween against which a canvas 26 may be rested in an inclined position. The easel board unit 80 is connected to one end of a cord 86 extending rearward around a pulley 87 at the rear edge of the table, the other end of the cord extending under the table to the front end thereof where it is provided with a convenient loop or handle 88 so that it may be pulled so to draw the unit to a rear position as indicated by the phantom lines. The unit 80 may be normally maintained in a forward position either by a return tension coil spring 89 secured at one end to the table or by means of weights 90 suspended on ropes 91 which extend downwardly around pulleys 92. Otherwise a combination of both return mechanisms may be employed for operating in sequence so as to allow a greater horizontal travel of the unit 80 than the vertical travel of the weights.

In FIG. 9 yet a further modified form 90 of the invention is illustrated wherein the easel board 91 includes a downwardly extending lower portion 92 having a central slot 93 wherein a roller 94 is mounted rotatably. The roller 95 is made to travel along a bar 85 pivotable about a cross pin 96 mounted upon an upstanding panel 97. A block 98 serving as a stop is secured upon each end of the bar 95 so to limit the travel of the roller thereupon. The panel 97 has an inverted V-configurated upper end so to form slopes 98 and 99. A handle 100 on one end of the bar allows manual means for raising or lowering the end of the bar, thus causing it to pivot, about the cross pin 96. When the bar is titled thus, it will cause the easel board to travel along the bar, by means of gravity force. The panel may be supported upon a plurality of legs 101 so that the same is at a convenient elevation.

Additionally, other convenient methods may be incorported in the present invention for actuating the main frame travel, such as for example, an electrical mechanism that is push bottom operated either by hand or foot, the push button closing an electric circuit to a solenoid having an armature connected to the frame in a similar manner as the link 66.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it is understood that such changes will be made within the spirit and scope of the present invention as is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an artists easel the combination of a means for supporting a painting canvas, said means comprising an easel board against which said painting canvas is placed, and means for moving said easel board forwardly or rearwardly respective to a support means for said easel board so as to permit an artist to work upon said painting canvas when said easel board is in a forward position, and observe said painting canvas when said easel board is in a moved rear position said support means comprise a base and a main frame pivotable upon said base, said base comprising a fiat panel, bearing bracket means secured on said panel, said main frame having a vertical portion with easel board carrying means and a laterally extending lower portion forming horizontal foot means and pivot means, and said main frame being mounted in said bearing bracket means by said pivot means.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said main frame comprises a rectangular frame having parallel upper and lower bars, vertical, parallel side bars joining said upper and lower bars, said side bars each having a right angle bend near a lower part thereof so that when said frame is viewed from a side edge, each said side bar is configurated to form a vertical leg and a horizontal foot, said lower bar being journalled within said bearing brackets, and a heel portion of each said foot being in abut ment with an upper side of said platform when said main frame is pivoted into a vertical position.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said easel board comprises a depending member mounted pivotally free on said upper bar of said frame. said board carrying upper and lower clamps each of which is independently adjustable vertically along said easel board for securing a canvas of any dimension.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein a chain is secured at one end to said base, the opposite end of said chain being adjustable secured to said frame for limiting the pivotal travel thereof.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein a rubber pad is positioned below each said heel so as to cushion the same upon engagement with said platform.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein a handle is secured to said frame for convenience to manually pivot the same.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein said handle extends in a forwardly direction.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein a a food operated mechanism comprises means for activating the pivotal travel of said frame, said mechanism comprising a foot pedal at one end of a lever centrally pivotable about a stationary pin, the opposite end of said lever being connected pivotally free to one end of a link which is connected pivotally free at its opposite end to said frame.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein said UNITED STATES PATENTS 401,921 4/1889 Anderson 248-486 422,501 3/1890 Chapman 248486 434,632 8/1890 Anderson 248486 FOREIGN PATENTS 166,440 3/1934 Switzerland.

ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

FRANK DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

